KORONADAL CITY – During the 50th National Nutrition Month launch, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) called for more support for the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN). The plea came amid more recent estimates on the cost of inaction on nutrition. The Nutrition International estimates that the Philippines can lose close to US$48 Billion (Php2.3 trillion) in productivity by 2030 because of child stunting. About 26.7 percent of children under-five years old were found to be stunted in 2021. The PPAN targets a reduction in child stunting by to at least 17.9 percent in 2028. This translates to a reduction in magnitude of about 4 million children in 2012 to about 2 million children by 2028.
Furthermore, about US$1 billion in productivity loses can be avoided if the country is able to reduce the prevalence of low birth weight among infants by 30% from 2017 levels of 14.5 percent to 10.2 percent in 2025 and continue reduction to 8.6 percent by 2028. With continued rates of low birth weight due to inaction, about 5.1 million IQ (intelligence quotient) points are lost per year. This can partly explain why Filipino students do poorly in academic performance compared to other countries. There is poor brain development of the baby when the pregnant mother is deprived of the necessary nutrition during pregnancy and the baby is deprived of optimal nutrition from breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding.
According to NNC’s Executive Director Assistant Secretary Dr. Azucena Dayanghirang, “We can prevent as much as 5,000 child deaths and 1,400 maternal deaths annually when optimal breastfeeding is practiced. Breastfeeding should be exclusive in the first six months of life and continued up to two years or more.” The estimated US$360 million spent annually on breastmilk substitutes by families can best be used to improve food intake of the entire family if the mother breastfeeds her baby. Almost all mothers can breastfeed successfully if they are supported by the family and community.
Aside from child stunting, the country increasingly faces the problem of overweight and obesity. The NNC estimates that there are about 29.5 million Filipinos across all age groups who are either overweight or obese. Obesity is recognized as a disease and a risk factor for non-communicable disease including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
The economic and social costs of poor nutrition are substantial, hindering national development. While individuals and families bear the primary responsibility for their nutritional well-being, the government and other stakeholders must support them, especially the marginalized. This includes enhancing the availability and affordability of nutritious diets, promoting changes in nutrition behaviors, ensuring access to health and nutrition services, and fostering a supportive environment for proper nutrition.
“By placing nutrition at the forefront of our national agenda, we can ensure that it receives the attention and resources it deserves for comprehensive and sustainable improvements in nutrition outcomes.” stressed by Executive Director Dayanghirang.
Aligned with international commitments such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Assembly targets, the PPAN 2023-2028 provides a comprehensive framework for improving the nutritional situation in the Philippines. Despite being the 11th in a series of action plans since 1974, the PPAN remains relatively unknown to many Filipinos. A 2022 recall survey by the NNC found that only 40% of respondents had heard, seen, or read anything related to PPAN.
The Nutrition Month this July campaigns for more support for the PPAN as guided by the theme “Sa PPAN: Sama-Sama Para sa Nutrisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat!” (Through PPAN, let’s collaborate on nutrition security for all!). The campaign highlights the PPAN’s multisectoral approach addressing malnutrition and promoting nutritional security. The campaign objectives include providing a platform for discussing the PPAN and encouraging stakeholder support, mobilizing promotional activities to raise awareness of nutritional problems and interventions, and encouraging the public to adopt positive nutrition behaviors.
The campaign targets a wide range of audiences, including legislators, national government agencies, local chief executives, non-government organizations, professional organizations, educational institutions, workplaces, the food industry, and the public.
The NNC encourages the use of PPAN strategies: promoting proper nutrition through various media channels, partnering with different sectors to implement PPAN strategies, advocating for policy and program reforms, and nurturing nutrition initiatives at national and local levels.
The NNC calls on all stakeholders to support the campaign by participating in Nutrition Month activities, disseminating campaign materials, aligning investment and action plans with the PPAN, and developing policies and programs that promote nutrition security.
For more information about the 2024 Nutrition Month, visit the NNC official Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/nncofficial (NNC)
